1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to improvements in a flashlight switch. More particularly the switch allows flashlight to turn on with side pressure or rotation of an end cap of the flashlight.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98:
Tail cap switches are limited to very specific grip positions in the hand to gain access to the switch. Also, tail cap switches interfere with placement of a glass breaking device and are not designed to support strike loads Involved in breaking tempered glass. Flashlight switches generally take a number of different types of configurations. In general these three types of configurations are a slide switch, rotational twist and push switches. The push switches can exist on the back or the side of the flashlight. Several products and patents have been. Exemplary examples of patents covering these products are disclosed herein.
A flashlight with a slide switch include U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,120 issued Jul. 1, 2008 to Kang et al., discloses a flashlight with a combination side mounted slide and push switch. While the patent discloses a flashlight switch mechanism the operator is required to hold the flashlight with a finger over the flashlight to operate the switch.
Flashlights with rotational twist to turn on the light include U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,686 issued Apr. 8, 1986 to Normal C. Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,129 issued Feb. 27, 1990 to Raymond L. Sharrah, U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,934 issued Jun. 4, 1991 to Hsisn-Der Hou and U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,938 issued Jun. 16, 1992 to Michael J. Pastusek disclose flashlights where turning the front or back of the flash light will conduct power from the batteries to the light source. While these provide switching mechanisms for illuminating the light they do not allow for the light to be illuminated with side motion on the ends of the flashlight.
Flashlights with push switches on the side of the flashlight include U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,166 issued Dec. 2, 1975 to Robert E. Brindley and U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,466 issued Nov. 9, 2004 to Kevin L. Parsons. While these patents disclose switches that operate by pushing on the sides of the body of the flashlight, they do not provide for pushing or tipping horizontally on the end of the flashlight in any direction.
Flashlights with push switches on the back of the flashlight includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,932 issued Jul. 1, 1997 to John Wallace Matthews, U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,371 issued Oct. 2, 2001 to Wen-Chin Shiau, U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,409 issued Dec. 10, 2002 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,960 on May 3, 2005 both to Raymond L. Sharrah. Pushing the back of the flashlight requires the operator to press on only the back of the flashlight. While this allows for a method to operate the flashlight it does not allow an operator to turn on the flashlight from a variety of positions.
What is needed is a flashlight where the flashlight can be temporally activated by side motion or tipping of one end of the flashlight body. Side motion can be easily placed onto the flashlight with a finger or a hand squeeze.